Author: alison

Matthew | Aiming for ripeness

Be mature, therefore, as your heavenly Father is mature. Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward. (Matthew 5:48-6:1)

Perfection is a Greek concept, evoking the Platonic ideal. It suggests something unreachable, unattainable, unchanging, and removed from the mess of life. “Be ye perfect,” says Jesus, and when I hear this a little something within me dies. Perfectionism, self-flagellation and hypercriticism run deep in my family story, and so I wasted years worrying that I am not good enough, or doing enough, for God. Continue reading “Matthew | Aiming for ripeness” →

Matthew | Redeeming Joshua

In his encounter with the Canaanite woman, Jesus repeats then repents of Joshua’s policy of no mercy. (Listen.)

Good to know: Jesus’ name is the English rendition of the Greek version of a Hebrew name which in English is rendered Joshua! Yeshua – Iesous – Jesus – Joshua: they’re all the same name.

‘I’m from one of the oldest families,’ he said. ‘We’ve been here since the beginning.’ And with that he effectively erased 60,000 years of continuous living culture, just as his Irish ancestors had tried to erase the people from the land. He’s a lovely guy, straightforward and well-meaning, and totally oblivious to what he had just done. Continue reading “Matthew | Redeeming Joshua” →

Church | Jesus, now lead on

It takes a special sort of energy to plant something new; now it’s time for me to move on.

I recently heard a wonderful story. Words from Sanctuary had sparked an awareness in someone in another congregation that, even if things don’t come out the way we want or plan, ‘if God has anything to do with it, there will be new life, new friends, and plenty of justice and joy.’ She read those sentences over and over again, to herself, to her husband and even to their prayer group. For her husband was preparing for a driving assessment, and very anxious about it he was. And indeed, despite all his practice and prayer, the assessor concluded that it was no longer safe for him to drive and his licence could not be renewed. Continue reading “Church | Jesus, now lead on” →

Parable | The kingdom is like …

Last week, a couple told me this story about their day. I loved it so much that, with their permission, I shaped it into a parable to share with you.

What is the kingdom of God like? With what shall I compare it? Perhaps … the kingdom is like an email about church finances. Buried in the text a woman discovers a pearl: ‘We trust in a God of infinite goodness and creativity, who can always find another way. It might not be the way we wanted or planned, but if God has anything to do with it, there will be new life, new friends, and plenty of justice and joy.’ Again and again she reads these sentences aloud, to herself and to her husband. Continue reading “Parable | The kingdom is like …” →

Genesis | Striving with God and men

Sometimes, you gotta fight for a blessing; sometimes, it’ll cost you. (Listen.)

A few weeks ago, I organised and hosted a ministers’ gathering. Near the end of the session, one of the ministers suddenly went on a rant about the failings of the church in the West. The church is collapsing, he said, because of the blurring of gender roles that began in the 1960’s and continues to this day. And there was I, sitting in a room full of men with my boots and jeans, close cropped hair, zero make up, and not a floral in sight—and all the authority which was conferred upon me through the rite of ordination (which in Baptistland is, admittedly, not much). Continue reading “Genesis | Striving with God and men” →

Romans | While Rhodes burns

The following is an homage to Targum, that is, a translation of scripture interspersed with additional material and commentary. Just as the Apostle Paul quotes and reinterprets scripture for a new context, this reading of Romans 8 quotes and reinterprets his words for our context, during the hottest month on record. (Listen.)

5Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh

Indeed, they set their minds on fulfilling their own desires, whatever the cost. They treat all people, indeed all creation, as a resource to be extracted, exploited, sucked dry. Continue reading “Romans | While Rhodes burns” →

Mark | Slow reading | He went away grieving

He went away grieving, for he had many possessions. (Mark 10:22)

A man asks Jesus how to inherit fullness of life; when Jesus tells him, the man goes away grieving. It’s one of the saddest phrases in the gospel. The man doesn’t have to walk away from Jesus and his disciples, nor does he need to grieve. Yet that is what he chooses, and Jesus is so committed to his freedom that he lets him walk away. Continue reading “Mark | Slow reading | He went away grieving” →

Genesis | The god of betwixt and between

God meets us in liminal spaces, when all our defences are down. (Listen.)

I think we can all agree: Sanctuary is at a threshold. Many will affirm that we have indeed lived into our name and created a sanctuary for hurting, wounded, tender things. Many will also affirm they have sensed the holy spirit moving in this place, and have experienced healing and renewal. But somehow, it isn’t enough. Continue reading “Genesis | The god of betwixt and between” →

Discipleship | The centrality of failure and death

We are always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:10)

For people who have been oppressed by abusive teachings on sin, say, or judgement, or perfection, or an ever-precarious individual salvation, some biblical metaphors are more useful than others. So we here at Sanctuary spend a lot of time reflecting on the goodness of creation, signs of life in exile, and the power of exodus. We focus on gentleness and grace, freedom and forgiveness, and the love and joy of the garden city. We delight in images of Jesus the jester, playfully skewering the pomp of Rome; or Psalm lullabies; or the mysteries of resurrection life. Continue reading “Discipleship | The centrality of failure and death” →

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